A Pound of Butter – A Quart of Cream – What Could Be Bad?

I first had Vichyssoise on my honeymoon. We went to Bermuda. In 1967, that was THE place to go. In fact, a guy I went to college with was on the same plane with his new bride. How can you not love cold potato soup made with real butter, heavy cream and fresh chives sprinkled on top. Heaven

When we got home, my 23-year-old bride – who had no real kitchen experience – staked out her territory – the Kitchen. I had a great deal of kitchen experience growing up with a mother who worked and went to school at night and weekends, then living in a college apartment and sharing cooking duties and finally working as a short order cook. She knew this and threw me out of the kitchen. Time for her to learn.

We started to accumulate cookbooks – you remember them – after all this was before the Internet. I bought her “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” by Julia Child. The recipe for Vichyssoise is on page 39. She made up a huge pot of soup. Worked her tail off. Scorched the bottom – just slightly – but enough to give it a slight burned taste. I smiled – I ate – I complimented – and I threw it down the drain – hidden cup by hidden cup.

She worked her way through that book and the next one. It was a joyful time before the advent of the Low Fat tyranny.

We invited my parents to dinner. Told my mom {whose 96th birthday is tomorrow – Valentine’s Day} about the cook books. She reduced French cooking to its essence: “A pound of butter – a quart of cream – what could be bad?”

This past weekend we went shopping at Costco – as we usually do. We bought a pound of butter, a quart of cream and 2 dozen eggs. After all – we eat low carb, normal protein and high fat. Then we went to a regular supermarket to pick up a head of cauliflower and some chives. I recount this story because tonight we had Vichyssoise – cold. Last night we had it hot. Either way it is delicious. It is just not made with potatoes – only a head of cauliflower.

My bride of 44 years has become one hell of a cook. She can translate most any recipe to a low carb one.